Boston Restaurant Blog -- October, 2010

Friday, October 1, 2010

Dinner at The Ledge in Lower Mills, Dorchester

When I am in the Lower Mills section of Dorchester and looking for food, I typically go to the outstanding soul food place Mrs. Jones. But good as it may be, Mrs. Jones doesn't really have any seating, which is one reason why I was happy to see The Ledge open up within the same block of this attractive Dorchester neighborhood awhile back. But other than stops for drinks and to briefly check the place out, I had never actually gotten to eat at The Ledge (which opened a little more than a year ago) until last week. Well, it was well worth the wait, as the food was excellent, the back patio was memorable (more on that later), and the service was professional from start to finish.

The Ledge (or Ledge Kitchen and Drinks, which is its official name) is quite a change from the place that used to be in this spot, namely an old-school watering hole called Donovan's Village Tavern. While the former was a no-frills bar favored by folks in the neighborhood, The Ledge is more of a casual upscale eatery featuring inventive comfort food and local craft beers. The inside of the restaurant is quite spacious, with a long bar to the right, a dining area to the left, and a separate room with more tables further to the left. The space has a cavernous, slightly rustic feel with lots of wood and attractive cylindrical lights hanging from the ceiling. In the back is a large outdoor two-tiered patio with beautiful garden areas stocked with all kinds of plants. Umbrellas protect diners from the sun, while a high wall gives the patio a private, cozy feel.

When we arrived at The Ledge, it was fairly quiet as we had shown up at the early end of dinner, so we were able to sit out on the patio without a problem. Our server brought us some tasty rolls to start with as well as local beers that I especially like (Shipyard Pumpkinhead and Long Trail Ale). Then we moved on to appetizers--the French onion soup had a broth that was slightly watery and mild-tasting, but included some delicious gruyere cheese and croutons so big that they were more like whole pieces of bread. The baby spinach salad was better, with a big circular hunk of delectable fried goat cheese on top mixing nicely with the spinach, beets, and craisins within the salad. For our main course, it was mac and cheese along with flatbread pizza, and they were both wonderful; the three-cheese macaroni and cheese was coated thickly on top with light-tasting herbs and nicely-textured bread crumbs, while the flatbread pizza had a slightly pliable and greasy crust along with house-made sausage, a rich marinara, and a combination of mozzarella and gorgonzola cheese. We had very little room after our meals, but I just had to order the house-made cinnamon doughnuts with chocolate sauce, and it was certainly worth it, as the doughnuts were moist and firm on the inside and had a perfect mix of cinnamon and sugar on the outside. Prices were rather high for what we had, with some items being a good amount higher than what I've seen in similar places (for instance, the macaroni and cheese was $14 and the French onion soup was $7).

High prices aside, I was very impressed by The Ledge. The food was made with high-quality ingredients, the server was there whenever we needed her, and that outdoor patio is something to behold on a warm summer night. The restaurant seems to be getting more and more press these days, so I think that it has been "discovered" and may not exactly be a hidden gem any longer, but it still isn't the type of place that will have lines out the door night after night (perhaps because it is at the very southern tip of Boston). I would certainly have to say that lovers of comfort food, upscale pub grub, and handcrafted beers need to check this place out.

If you would like the address for The Ledge in the Lower Mills section of Dorchester, here it is: Ledge Kitchen and Drinks, 2261 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02124. Phone: (617) 698-2261

6 COMMENTS:TM said:
Very bad service...Long waits on food. I have tried here 3 times and have given up. I am born and raised in Dorchester and other than the Dbar or maybe 224 I don't touch my neighborhood's sit down spots. What says Drinks at the Ledge? Nothing. Not being a snob but send the bar staff on a field trip to Foundry, ESK, Drink, Stoddards, Russell House etc. etc....Posted on 10/5/10MH said:
We returned to Ledge Kitchen and Drinks over the weekend for some apps and drinks. The braised short rib arancini were very fine, with tender and flavorful short rib meat mixing well with the rice, cheese, and red sauce, but the steak and cheese spring rolls were a disappointment, as they were bland and had very little cheese (the spicy ketchup sauce on the side helped a little in the flavor department, though). Drinks were fine, with the Rapscallion Honey being as good as always and the prosecco martini having a nice citrus-y flavor to it. Service was decent, prices were ok, and the atmosphere, while a bit loud from the mix of music and chatter, was fine overall.Posted on 1/24/11MH said:
Several of us went to The Ledge once again over the weekend, and this may have been our best overall dining experience there. The cheeseburger was juicy and substantial (and the house-made chips that came with it were excellent), the lobster roll was overstuffed with lobster and absolutely delicious, the steak frites featured lean and tender steak as well as earthy-tasting truffled fries, and the brick chicken may have been the highlight of the night, with a slightly charred top, lots of meat, and juice from the chicken adding a ton of flavor to the dish. Service was good and prices were fairly reasonable. And the outdoor patio was terrific once again, especially since it was such a nice evening, weather-wise.Posted on 7/18/11sheila d said:
Had the best burger I've had in years. I'm irish so had to laugh at the irish breakfast! Loved the place. Good food SPosted on 5/8/12MH said:
We returned yet again to The Ledge earlier this month, this time trying the buffalo chicken spring rolls (a bit dry but tasty), the fish and chips (excellent), and the pepperoni pizza (not bad, though the outer edge of the crust was too burnt and the crust didn't have a lot of flavor overall). Service was decent and prices were good, but it was rather loud where we were sitting. Overall, it was a decent experience, but I find the place to be just a little inconsistent as far as the food is concerned.Posted on 6/13/12MH said:
Took two more trips to The Ledge over the past week or so, this time trying the fried pickles, hand-cut chips, macaroni and cheese, pizza, and a jumbo burger (complete with a fried egg on top), with everything seeming a bit better than our earlier trips there. Service was decent (much friendlier on the first trip, though) and the outdoor patio was perfect each time, especially with the weather being so nice.Posted on 6/28/13

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